Neoregelia plant named ‘Elwood’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Neoregelia  plant named ‘Elwood’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly arching growth habit; glossy dark purple-colored leaves; and good interiorscape and landscape performance.

Botanical designation: (Neoregelia schultesiana×Neoregelia compacta)×Neoregelia chlorosticta.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ELWOOD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Neoregelia plant, botanically known as (Neoregelia schultesiana×Neoregelia compacta)×Neoregelia chlorosticta, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Elwood’.

The new Neoregelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Princeton, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Neoregelia plants with uniquely colored leaves.

The new Neoregelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2002 in Princeton, Fla. of an unnamed proprietary selection of Neoregelia schultesiana×Neoregelia compacta, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Neoregelia chlorosticta ‘Royal Burgundy’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Neoregelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Princeton, Fla. in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Neoregelia plant by offsets in a controlled environment in Princeton, Fla. since 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Neoregelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Neoregelia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Elwood’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Elwood’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Neoregelia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly arching growth habit.     -   2. Glossy dark purple-colored leaves.     -   3. Good interiorscape and landscape performance.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia have broader leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia and the female parent selection         differ in leaf color as plants of the female parent selection         have red-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Royal Burgundy’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia are more compact than plants of         ‘Royal Burgundy’.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia have narrower leaves than plants         of ‘Royal Burgundy’.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Neoregelia maintain color under         low light conditions whereas leaves of plants of ‘Royal         Burgundy’ become green in color under low light conditions.

Plants of the new Neoregelia can be compared to plants of the Neoregelia ‘Tigrinum’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Princeton, Fla., plants of the new Neoregelia and ‘Tigrinum’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia were taller than plants of         ‘Tigrinum’.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia had broader leaves than leaves         of plants of ‘Tigrinum’.     -   3. Plants of the new Neoregelia and ‘Tigrinum’ differed in leaf         color as plants of ‘Tigrinum’ had green-colored leaves with         black stripes.

Plants of the new Neoregelia can also be compared to plants of the Neoregelia ‘Dexter's Pride’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Princeton, Fla., plants of the new Neoregelia and ‘Dexter's Pride’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia were more compact than plants of         ‘Dexter's Pride’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Neoregelia were darker in color         than leaves of plants of ‘Dexter's Pride’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Neoregelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Neoregelia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Elwood’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Elwood’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe flowering plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered greenhouse in Princeton, Fla. under commercial Neoregelia production practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 32° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 32° C. and light levels averaged 3,200 foot-candles. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: (Neoregelia schultesiana×Neoregelia     compacta)×Neoregelia chlorosticta ‘Elwood’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Neoregelia schultesiana×Neoregelia compacta, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Neoregelia chlorosticta ‘Royal             Burgundy’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By offsets.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at 28° C. to             30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 45 days at 18° C. to             22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two to             three months at 28° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three to             four months at 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; yellow to             tan in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact, upright and outwardly             arching growth habit; rosette leaves are erect when young,             becoming outwardly arching with development; plants readily             produce uniform offsets; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 29 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Stem texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Stem color.—Close to 155C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; simple; sessile,             clasping.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Nearly entire; spinose.         -   Length.—About 21 cm.         -   Width, mid-section.—About 4.2 cm.         -   Width, base.—About 7.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery; longitudinally ribbed.         -   Luster.—Glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Lower leaves, upper surface: Darker than N186B;             venation, close to 187A. Lower leaves, lower surface: Close             to N186C; random flecks, close to 191A; venation, close to             187A. Upper leaves, upper surface: Darker than 187A, towards             the base, close to 156C; venation, close to 187A. Upper             leaves, lower surface: Close to 187A; venation, close to             187A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form.—Terminal flat-topped compact corymb             located inside the leaf rosette; about 63 flowers develop             per inflorescence.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about nine to eleven             weeks after planting; plants flower naturally during the             spring in Florida.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one day on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 7 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly elongate. Color: Close to 93C.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 93B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 93C. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to NN155D; towards the apex,             close to 94B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155D;             towards the apex, close to 94C.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: One. Shape: Elliptical.             Length: About 4.3 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Texture:             Membraneous. Color: Close to 157D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 157C.             Color, lower surface: Close to 157D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to NN155B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect to somewhat             outward and curving upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to NN155D.         -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: Six. Filament length: About             1.8 cm; partially adnate to the petals. Filament color:             Close to NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length:             About 3 mm. Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 158A.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             3.4 cm. Stigma shape: Oval, elongated. Stigma color: Close             to N155D. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style color: Close to             NN155D. Ovary color: Close to NN155C.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production have not been observed             on plants of the new Neoregelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 2° C. to about     37° C. -   Interior & garden performance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have     been observed to have good postproduction longevity under interior     conditions and to have good garden performance. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Neoregelia plants has not been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Neoregelia plant named ‘Elwood’ as illustrated and described. 